TENKASI: Vegetable traders shut the Pavoorchatram market on Thursday after the district police beat the farmers transporting their produce.
The Pavoorchatram market is one of the biggest markets in the district, the shutdown may cause a shortage of vegetables in both Tenkasi district and Kerala.
Speaking to TNIE, President of Market Traders Association R K Kalithasan said that the police restrictions imposed against the farmers forced the market to shut. "Most of the farmers bring their agricultural produce such as onion, shallot, potato, tomato, snake gourd, bitter gourd and ladies finger to this market. Around 70 per cent of vegetables we receive every day is transported to Kerala, and the rest is sold out to other small markets and shops in Tenkasi and neighbouring districts," he added.
Kalithasan added that the traders would reopen the market if the district administration would give an assurance that the police would not beat the farmers and the market workers. "Even I was stopped from entering the market on Thursday. We understand the significance of the lockdown but vegetables are essential goods," he said.